A reader of this blog stopped me in the parking lot of our kids’ school.

“I’ve got a topic for you,” he said. “Cigarette butts.”

I know barely anyone who still smokes, but the pastime enjoys a huge following as evidenced by all the butts on roadsides, sidewalks, parks, entrances to buildings (though not hospitals anymore)…

Why is it so hard to dispose of butts, other than the fact they could ignite the contents of a garbage can? Is it just a habit to stamp them out on the ground and leave them there, or toss them out the window of a car like an apple core? (Whenever I drive behind someone who’s doing this, I get a flash of fear that the sparks could light my gas tank on fire.) Is it because cigarettes are not considered litter in the same league as a styrofoam cup or candy wrapper?

Or is it because ashtrays are becoming more and more scarce?

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moved to Pittsford as a teenager and attended Pittsford-Mendon High School. Her greatest passion is as a lover of and advocate for the arts and music. Donna attended Rhode Island School of Design and earned an MFA from R.I.T. She’s a free-lance art director, advertising photographer and copywriter. Her love of narrative and film has led her to direct and produce short films.

Donna developed her awareness of and concern for environmental issues after being
exposed to the chemicals in artist materials in art schools in the US and Canada which
made her ill for a time. Healthy today, she finds pleasure in nature, writing, and music.
She enjoys Pittsford for its picturesque locations, wildlife, and community involvement.

was born in Rochester, lived here for a while until his dad was transferred to Connecticut ("Thanks, Xerox."). Then a few years later they came back to Fairport ("Thanks again, Xerox."), but Bill went to Pittsford schools. He moved over to Pittsford in 1979. He worked a bunch of jobs, played in bands, went back to MCC and then U of R for a Bachelor's degree in the early 90's. Shortly after that, he moved to NYC with his wife, Laura, where he worked at Ogilvy & Mather and Christie's doing tech support. They moved out to Northern Virginia during the Internet boom, hoping to get rich quick, but missed that boat. They moved back to Pittsford in 2001, along with two boys. Bill still plays guitar with the Chinchillas, the Squeaky Chair Jazz band, and the Steve Greene Trio occasionally.

"Though all communities and areas get a certain reputation (deserved or not), there is a good quality of life here, and the bulk of the people I have met here and places I have been to reflect that," Bill says. "My reason for wanting to blog about the town is at least twofold -- to vent my views and continue with writing, but also to force myself to engage in the environment in which I live. Too many people complain there is nothing to do or see, but they never actually get out and look. I don't want to be like that."